Haley Mellin
An artist uniquely bridging art and land conservation
"Siamo Natura," curated by Sergio Risaliti and Stefania Rispoli, Museo Novecento.
“Land conservation, as an artistic practice, is invisible. When done well, there is no trace of your presence.”
Exhibitions
Biodiversity and Betadiversity
Biodiversity and Betadiversity
Biodiversity and Betadiversity
Conservation Imperatives
Biodiversity and Betadiversity
Conservation Imperatives
Tennis Elbow: 109
Biodiversity and Betadiversity
Conservation Imperatives
Into the Time Horizon
Utopia. The Right to Hope
The Flesh of the Earth
Curated by Apsara DiQuinzio and Kolin Perry
The Flesh of the Earth
Utopia. The Right to Hope
The Flesh of the Earth
Utopia. The Right to Hope
Utopia. The Right to Hope
Utopia. The Right to Hope
Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Germany
Curated by Dino Steinhof, Andreas Beitin, Sebastian Mühl, and Veronika Mehlhart
Flora & Fauna
Utopia. The Right to Hope
Utopia. The Right to Hope
Talks
Land and Water Protectors, 2026 Art and Environment Summit, Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, Nevada
Biography
Haley Mellin, born in San Francisco, CA and lives and works in the Bay Area, CA. She works in painting and large-scale land conservation. Her land conservation practice supports the formation of new permanent protected areas. Her painting is observational and done in a seasonal studio outside. The paintings are made from water-based gouachel; the drawings are made from plant derived carbon charcoal.
Recent solo shows include Museo Novecento, Florence (2025), Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin (2024), Giovanni's Room, Los Angeles (2023), and The Journal Gallery, New York (2022). Recent group exhibitions include the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno (2026), Kunsthalle Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg (2025), Hauser & Wirth, New York (2024), Micki Meng and Parker Gallery, New York (2023), and Blanc Studios, Brooklyn (2023).
In 2017, to focus on biodiverse species, Indigenous and Traditional Peoples rights, she initiated Art into Acres. AiA is an artist-run non-profit organized to support permanent large-scale land protection on behalf of the arts community. The initiative has supported the creation of new permanent protected areas including new Indigenous protected areas, community-conserved areas, municipal parks, regional parks, and national parks.
Haley was a studio student of the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program, and is mentored by South African artists rosenclaire. She earned a PhD from NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development in Education and Environmental Culture learning from Professor Nicholas Mirzoeff and a BA in Art Practice and Education from U.C. Berkeley studying with Jane Rosen and Dr. John Hurst.
As an artist project, Haley conducted the first carbon calculations for a range of museums and galleries supported by grants from the Teiger Foundation, including Documenta and the MET Museum. She co-founded art and climate initiatives Partners in Arts Climate Targets, Art + Climate Action, the MOCA Environmental Council, GCC Los Angeles, GCC New York, and Artists Commit.
Curriculum Vitae
CV Bio
Haley Mellin
Born in Kentfield, CA
Education
2025 Mentorship with Rose Shakinovsky and Claire Gavronsky, Poppiano, Italy
2012 Doctor of Philosophy in Visual Culture and Education, New York University
2005 Whitney Museum Independent Study Program, New York
2003 Bachelor of Art in Art Practice, Minor in Education, University of California at Berkeley
Solo and Two-Person Exhibitions
2026 “Speaking of Earth,” First Federal, Fairfax, CA (forthcoming)
2025 “Siamo Natura,” Museo Novecento, Florence, Italy (link)
2024 “Biodiversity and Beta Diversity,” Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany (link)
2023 “Conservation Imperatives,” Giovanni’s Room, Los Angeles, California (link)
2022 “Tennis Elbow: 109,” The Journal Gallery, New York, New York (link)
2020 “Tennis Elbow Window: 10,” The Journal Gallery, New York, New York (link)
2017 “Warhol & Mellin,” Kantor Gallery, Los Angeles, California (link)
2016 “Haley Mellin,” Bischoff Projects, Frankfurt, Germany (link)
2014 “Haley Mellin,” The Still House Group, Red Hook, Brooklyn (link)
2014 “Haley Mellin,” Retrospective Gallery, Hudson, New York (link)
2011 “Haley Mellin / Olivier Mosset,” Untitled Gallery, New York, New York (link)
Group Exhibitions
2026 “Flora and Fauna," Chandler Gallery, Mill Valley, CA (forthcoming)
2026 “Into the Time Horizon,” Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, Nevada (link)
2025 “Five Year Anniversary Show,” Micki Meng, San Francisco, California (link)
2025 “Utopia. The Right to Hope,” Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg, Germany (link)
2025 “Paper Room,” Halsey McKay, Brooklyn, New York (link)
2025 “Alert & Attuned,” Gretchen Schuette Art Gallery at Chemeketa College, Salem, Oregon (link)
2025 “A Forest,” curated by Dylan Siegel and Jack Chase, Hexton Gallery, Aspen, Colorado (link)
2024 “Accrochage,” Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany (link)
2024 “Not Too Late,” curated by Charlie Moffett, Charles Moffett, New York (link)
2024 “The Flesh of the Earth,” curated by Enuma Okoro, Hauser & Wirth, New York (link)
2023 “Energy: A Closer Look,” curated by Helen Miller, MassArt, Boston, Massachusetts (link)
2023 “Diaspora,” curated by Ben Godsill and Joel Mesler, Ezra Gallery, Sag Harbor (link)
2023 “Walk Against the Wind,” Parker Gallery and Micki Meng, New York, New York (link)
2023 “Dust Clay Man Woman,” Blanc Gallery, Brooklyn, New York (link, link, link)
2023 “Flora and Fauna,” 1053 Gallery, Fleischmanns, New York (link)
2021 “Take Care Project,” Fondazione 107, Torino, Italy (link)
2021 “Bananas,” Fort Makers, Lower East Side, New York (link)
2021 “Hudson House: Phase 2," curated by Jesse Jag, Hudson House, Hudson (link)
2020 “REAL ESTATE,” curated by Adam Marnie, F Houston, Texas (link)
2020 “Animal Kingdom,” Alexander Berggruen, New York, New York (link)
2020 “Online Exhibition: Drawn Together," Unit Gallery, London, United Kingdom (link)
2020 “King Dogs Never Grow Old,” curated by B. Wise, Diane Rosenstein, Los Angeles (link)
2018 “Shoulder,” Shoulder Gallery, Los Angeles, California (link, link)
2017 “Hot Mud," curated by J. Jag, JAG Projects, Spook Rock Farm, Hudson (link)
2017 “Poster,” Black Ball Projects, Brooklyn, New York (link)
2016 “Zine Tornado,” Art Book Fair 2016, MoMA Ps1, Queens, New York (link)
2016 “War Games,” curated by Benjamin Godsill, Morán Morán, Detroit, Michigan (link)
2016 “Face to Face,” curated by Eugenio Viola, Palazzo Fruscione, Salerno, Italy (link)
2015 "Winter Contemporary Exhibition,” Alon Zakaim Fine Art, London, United Kingdom (link)
2015 “Summer Photography Exhibition,” Alon Zakaim Fine Art, London, United Kingdom (link)
2015 “The Now Forever,” Curated by M. St. John, J. Magri + C. McCranie, Basilica, Hudson (link)
2015 “The Still House Group, Testing Ground,” Zabludowicz Foundation, London (link)
2015 “Service Entrance,” Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, Belgium (link)
2014 “Right On!,” DUVE, Berlin, Germany (link)
2014 “Palace 88,” The Still House Group, Chinatown, New York (link)
2014 “The Still House Group,” Museo Pino Pascali, Polignano a Mare, Italy (link)
2013 “Straight II DVD,” The Still House Group, NADA Miami Beach (link)
2013 “Trending,” Untitled Gallery, New York, New York (link)
2013 “Manifesto,” curated by E. von Thurn und Taxis and A. Guerrero, FIAF, New York (link)
2013 “Out of Memory,” curated by Eleanor Cayre, Marianne Boesky, New York (link)
2013 “Young and Starving,” Christie's, New York, New York (link)
2012 Brand Innovations for Ubiquitous Authorship,” Higher Pictures, New York (link)
2012 “Brucennial,” New York, New York (link)
2010 “The Artist as Collector: Olivier Mosset,” MOCA Tucson, Tucson, Arizona (link)
2010 “Portrait de l’artiste en motocycliste,” Musée des Beaux-Arts, Switzerland (link)
2009 “Portrait de lʼartiste en motocycliste,” Centre National d'Art Contemporain de Grenoble (link)
2009 “Land,” curated by Haley Mellin, 101 Exhibit, Miami, Florida (link)
2009 “The Prompt,” curated by Sarina Basta and Michael Portnoy, commissioned by Performa 09 (link)
2009 “One Size Fits All,” curated by Jenny Soloman, On Stellar Rays, New York, New York (link)
2009 “No Bees, No Blueberries,” Harris Lieberman Gallery, New York, New York (link)
2009 “Black Mondays,” Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, New York (link)
2008 “Fair Market,” curated by Haley Mellin, Rental Gallery, New York, New York (link)
2008 “In Practice,” curated by Sarina Basta, SculptureCenter, Queens, New York (link)
2007 “Speak Easy: Readings of the Rocks,” curated by Sarina Basta, SculptureCenter, Queens (link)
2005 “8th Annual Postcards From the Edge,” Visual Aids, Robert Miller Gallery, New York (link)
Residencies
2024 Silver Art Projects, World Trade Center, New York
2023 Max Beckmann Distinguished Artist in Residence, American Academy, Berlin
2023 Max Beckmann Distinguished Artist in Residence, Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin
2016 Work in Progress, Times Square Space, organized by Tiffany Zabludowicz, New York
2015 The Still House, organized by Isaac Brest and Alex Perweiler, Red Hook, New York
2005 Whitney Museum Independent Study Program, New York, New York
Awards, Grants, and Public Commissions
2026 Sustainability Grant, Teiger Foundation, New York
2023 Max Beckmann Distinguished Visitorship, American Academy in Berlin, Berlin
2023 Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award, New York University, New York
2023 Sustainability Grant, Teiger Foundation, New York
2022 Sustainability Grant, Teiger Foundation, New York
2013 Rhizome Commission, New Museum, New York
Initiatives
2024 Schmidt Environment + Art Prize Nomination Committee, MoCA Los Angeles (link)
2023 Climate Jury Committee, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington D.C. (link)
2023 Co-founded Gallery Climate Coalition New York, New York (link)
2022 Inaugural Member, Innovation Committee, ICA Miami, Miami, Florida (link)
2021 Co-founded Artists Commit, New York (link)
2021 Co-founded PACT: Partners in Arts Climate Targets (link)
2021 Co-founded Gallery Climate Coalition Los Angeles, California (link)
2020 Co-founded Art + Climate Action, San Francisco (link)
2020 Co-founded Environmental Council, MOCA, Los Angeles, California (link)
2018 Founded Art into Acres, Fairfax, California (link)
2017 Co-founded Conserve.org, East Chatham, New York (link)
Public Talks, Symposia, Workshops, Conferences
2026 Land and Water Protectors, Art + Environment Summit: Under Pressure Nevada Museum of Art (link)
2025 Key Steps in Museum Environmental Sustainability Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
2025 Keynote Address on Art and Indigenous-led Conservation Bioneers (link)
2025 Emergence of the Sacred Bioneers (link)
2025 Art Everywhere: Rethinking the Sustainability of Travel ArtLogic (link)
2024 Climate Change Symposium MOCA (link)
2024 The Tree of Knowledge Pinacoteca Agnelli di Torino
2024 The Role of Art in the Sustainability Discourse Christie’s New York (link)
2024 Art and Land Conservation with Hannah Brainard Carnegie Mellon (link)
2024 Conservation Imperatives Resolve
2024 Panel Discussion on Biodiversity and Betadiversity Dittrich & Schlechtriem (link)
2024 Silver Art Projects, Silver Art Projects
2024 Panel Discussion on Climate, Art, and Technology Magenta Plains (link)
2024 Climate + Art in Contemporary Practices (for all staff) Metropolitan Museum of Art
2023 Demystifying Carbon (for curatorial staff) Guggenheim Museum
2023 Sustainability in Action, moderated by Tim Griffin Hauser & Wirth (link)
2023 A Century of Displacement: Climate & Mass Migration Whitney Museum (link)
2023 A Conversation with Haley Mellin and Mary Rinebold Queen Mary University (link)
2023 Artist Talk: On Biodiversity and Betadiversity American Academy Berlin (link)
2023 Dorothy Height Distinguished Alumni Award Radio City Music Hall (link)
2023 Founding the Gallery Climate Coalition New York Guggenheim New York (link)
2023 Core Training: CO2 and SCF Session KiFutures (link)
2022 Sustainability in Action, moderated by Louisa Buck Hauser & Wirth (link)
2022 Community Meeting: Strategic Climate Funds Art + Climate Action (link)
2022 On Land Conservation & Biodiversity Visualization Garrison Institute (link)
2022 Art for Hope: Partnerships as a Catalyst for Change Art 2030 and U.N. (link)
2021 Drawing and the Digital Age Harvard (link)
2021 Climate Advocacy through the Arts, with Ping Wang Kennedy School (link)
2021 Exhibition and Environmental Impact Expo Chicago (link)
2021 Climate Responsibility in the Arts, with Alex Gartenfeld Feria de Arte de Bogotá (link)
2020 Climate Change and Heritage, with Sergio Risaliti Palazzo Vecchio (link)
2020 Climate Crisis and the Arts California College of the Arts
2010 Curriculum, Recess BHQF University (link)
2012 Photography and the Visual Archive New York University
2008 What is Now: Art of this Decade MOMA
2004 Community Education about Kerry James Marshall Studio Museum of Harlem (link)
2004 DreamYard Arts and Visual Literacy Bronx City Schools (link)
Land Conservation
Completed Locations:
The Lakes National Park, Australia: 35,300 hectares, 87,228 acres
Brindingabba National Park, Australia: 40,469 hectares, 100,000 acres
Richardson National Park, Australia: 131,900 hectares, 325,932 acres
Maya Corridor Land Trust, Belize: 12,082 hectares, 29,856 acres
Bajo Paraguá Municipal Protected Area, Bolivia: 983,006 hectares, 2,429,061 acres
Lagos de San Pedro, Bolivia: 202,702 hectares, 500,889 acres
Arroyo Guarichona, Bolivia: 199,435 hectares, 492,815 acres
Yande Yarɨ, Bolivia: 562,491 hectares, 1,389,945 acres
Bajo Paraguá-Concepción Municipal Conservation Area, Bolivia: 154,368 hectares, 381,452 acres
Guanay (Puente Amazonica) Municipal Conservation Areas, Bolivia: 42,650 hectares, 105,392 acres
Fuente de Vida Municipal Protected Area, Bolivia: 7,715 hectares, 19,065 acres
Teoponte (Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï) Municipal Conservation Area, Bolivia: 24,754 hectares, 61,168 acres
Giant Trees, Brazil: 560,000 hectares, 1,383,790 acres
Cuchilla de San Juan Regional Protected Area expansion, Colombia: 18,613 hectares, 45,994 acres
Alto Calima (Serranía de la Cerbatana), Colombia: 18,204 hectares, 44,982 acres
Atuncela (expansion) - Valle de Cauca, Colombia: 1,320 hectares, 3,263 acres
Siete Sabias-Esperanza de Vida, Colombia: 30,398 hectares, 75,116 acres
Quilanga Municipal Conservation Area, Ecuador: 10,632 hectares, 26,273 acres
Espíndola Municipal Protected Area, Ecuador: 16,538 hectares, 40,866 acres
Bolívar, Ecuador: 42,888 hectares, 105,979 acres
San José de Payamino: Ecuador, 54,318 hectares, 134,223 acres
Aguarico Water Protection Area, Ecuador: 103,000 hectares, 254,519 acres
Machángara Tomebamba Wildlife Refuge, Ecuador: 24,958 hectares, 61,673 acres
Pueblo Kichwa Rukullacta, Ecuador: 41,889 hectares, 103,510 acres
Bosque Alimentario y de la Interculturalidad, Ecuador: 180,035 hectares, 444,876 acres
Cinco Cerros, Ecuador: 20,942 hectares, 51,749 acres
Loja Municipal Municipal Conservation Area and Expansion, Ecuador: 74,050 hectares, 182,982 acres
Sucúa Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Area, Ecuador: 17,741 hectares, 43,840 acres
Esmeraldas Provincial Conservation and Sustainable Use Area, Ecuador: 213,758 hectares, 528,207 acres
Tarímiat Pujutaí Nuṉka (Territory of Well Being), Ecuador: 1,237,395 hectares, 3,057,671 acres
Quito Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Areas, Ecuador: 120,722 hectares, 298,310 acres
Rio Negro Sopladora National Park, Ecuador: 30,616 hectares, 75,654 acres
Yanuncay-Zhucay Municipal Conservation Area, Ecuador: 26,965 hectares, 66,633 acres
Tsarap Chu, India: 158,500 hectares, 391,662 acres
Yavari Tapiche Indigenous Reserve, Peru: 1,092,651 hectares, 2,700,000 acres
San Pedro de Chonta: Peru: 51,889 hectares, 128,220 acres
Chuyapi Urusayhua Regional Conservation Area, Peru: 80,191 hectares, 198,156 acres
Huayhuash National Landscape Reserve, Peru: 67,590 hectares, 167,018 acres
Diablo Mountain, Oregon, United States: 48,074 hectares, 118,794 acres
Pueblo Mountains and Trout Creek Wilderness, Oregon, United States: 124,238 hectares, 307,000 acres
Berryessa Snow Mountain Monument Expansion, California, United States: 5,542 hectares, 13,696 acres
Burma Rim, Oregon, United States: 36,582 hectares, 90,397 acres
Saamaka Community Conserved Area, Suriname: 720,000 hectares, 1,779,150 acres
In-Process Locations:
Argentina: Mutquin Municipal reserve: 5,836 hectares, 14,421 acres
Brazil: Indigenous Protected Areas: 1,000,000 hectares, 2,471,053 acres
Brazil: OECM's Amazonia: 12,000,000 hectares, 29,652,645 acres
Brazil: Afluente do Complexo do Seringal Jurupari: 141,565 hectares, 349,815 acres
Bolivia: Suapi Municipal Protected Area: 2,782 hectares, 6,875 acres
Bolivia: Ilampu Municipal Protected Area: 1,715 hectares, 4,238 acres
Bolivia: Ingavi Municipal Protected Area: 120,065 hectares, 296,687 acres
Bolivia: Porongo Municipal Conservation Area: 4,000 hectares, 10,000 acres
Bolivia: San Rafael Municipal Protected Area Expansion: 264,323 hectares, 653,156 acres
Bolivia: Sama Biological Reserve Expansion: 36,426 hectares, 90,010 acres
Bolivia: Tahuamanu-Orthon Departmental Natural Heritage Area: 280,129 hectares, 692,212 acres
Bolivia: Mandiyurenda Municipal Protected Area: 83,972 hectares, 207,500 acres
Bolivia: Azurduy: 15,700 hectares, 38,796 acres
Bolivia: El Villar: 20,422 hectares, 50,464 acres
Canada: Northern Yukon Indigenous Protected Area: 850,000 hectares, 2,100,395 acres
Canada: Seal River Indigenous Protected Area: 4,249,199 hectares, 10,500,000 acres
Chile: Guafo Island National Park: 22,000 hectares. 55,000 acres
Chile: Cape Froward National Park: 505,857 hectares, 1,250,000 acres
Colombia: Indigenous Land Titling (ACT) (second grant): 364,256 hectares, 900,096 acres
Colombia: Manacacias National Park: 68,180 hectares, 168,476 acres
Colombia: Serranía De San Lucas National Integrated Management District: 405,908 hectares, 1,003,021 acres
Colombia: Cerro del Duende Regional Protected Area: 91,000 hectares, 224,866 acres
Colombia: Collectively-titled Indigenous lands - Resguardos: 928,763 hectares, 2,295,000 acres
Colombia: San Juan Delta Marine Regional Integrated Management Area: 160,000 hectares, 397,840 acres
Ecuador: Runahurco APH: 72,061 hectares, 178,067 acres
Ecuador: Quijos: 33,336 hectares, 82,375 acres
Ecuador: San Lorenzo: 54,539 hectares, 134,769 acres
Ecuador: San Lorenzo: 83,832 hectares, 207,153 acres
Ecuador: Sevilla de Oro Municipal Reserve: 20,000 hectares, 49,420 acres
Guatemala: Cerro Amay National Protected Area: 12,949 hectares, 32,000 acres
Honduras: Uchapa-Pimienta Protected Area: 16,061.85 hectares, 39,689.89 acres
India: Pin Valley National Conservation Area: 7,575 hectares, 18,718 acres
Nicaragua: Awaltara Indigenous Conservation Area: 150,543 hectares, 372,000 acres
Peru: Camisea: 1,011 hectares, 2,498 acres
Peru: Aguas Calientes Regional Conservation Area: 101,931 hectares, 251,876 acres
Peru: Osomayo - Milpo Regional Conservation Area: 73,711 hectares, 182,144 acres
Peru: Medio Putumayo Regional Conservation Area: 399,738 hectares, 987,774 acres
Peru: Cutervo Regional Conservation Area: 19,357 hectares, 47,832 acres
Peru: Selva Verde – Santo Domingo Regional Conservation Area: 80,000 hectares, 197,684 acres
Peru: Tapiche y Blanco Regional Conservation Area: 265,841 hectares, 656,909 acres
Peru: Rontoccocha Regional Conservation Area: 17,000 hectares, 42,008 acres
Peru: Ausangate Private Conservation Area: 12,000 hectares, 29,653 acres
Peru: Ere Campuya Regional Protected Area: 700,896 hectares, 1,731,952 acres
Peru: Lomas y Tillandsiales de Tacna Regional Conservation Area: 161,000 hectares, 397,840 acres
Peru: Champará - Coyllorcocha: 20,844 hectares, 51,507 acres
Suriname: Samaaka Indigenous Conservation Area Expansion: 125,984 hectares, 320,000 acres
Paper downloads
Co-authored biodiversity science papers that are published or in peer-review:
Publications
"Into the Time Horizon" Exhibition Catalogue
"Biodiversity and Betadiversity" Exhibition Catalogue
"Biodiversity and Betadiversity" Exhibition Catalogue
Published by the Nevada Museum of Art
"Biodiversity and Betadiversity" Exhibition Catalogue
"Biodiversity and Betadiversity" Exhibition Catalogue
"Biodiversity and Betadiversity" Exhibition Catalogue
Published by Dittrich & Schlechtriem
Biodiversity and Betadiversity Chapbook
"Biodiversity and Betadiversity" Exhibition Catalogue
Biodiversity and Betadiversity Chapbook
Published and distributed by F